The future of Middlesbrough midfielder Adam Clayton continues to dominate the agenda on Teesside as the January transfer window edges closer towards the deadline.

The 29-year-old has endured a frustrating time of late after falling down the Boro pecking order under former boss Garry Monk, sparking speculation that he could leave the Riverside this month.

Since Tony Pulis' appointment in December, Clayton has been brought back from the wilderness and has featured as a substitute in Boro's last three matches - yet his only league start since October came in the 3-0 home reverse to Derby County.

The Nottingham Post have reiterated today that Clayton remains top of Nottingham Forest's January wish list, with ex-Boro boss Aitor Karanka desperate to be reunited with the experienced Championship midfielder before next Wednesday's deadline.

Here we look at five key questions that hold the key to whether Clayton remains a Boro player beyond the end of the month, or if he'll become the club's second high-profile departure of the winter window.

Does Tony Pulis see him as part of his plans?

Probably the most important question and one that remains unanswered heading into the final week of the window.

Clayton has played a total of 51 minutes under Pulis over the last few weeks, but that is a marked improvement from his galling absence under Monk.

With Forshaw having sealed his £4.5m move to Leeds last week, Clayton currently finds himself as Boro's third-choice central midfielder, a regular on the bench and a handy option if Pulis wants to try and firm things up defensively late on.

There are no other specialist defensive midfielders in the squad, and in Clayton, Boro arguably have one of the most effective second-tier holders.

Adam Clayton wins a challenge against Augsburg

Down the years, Pulis has always tended to value combative defensive midfielders - with the 60-year-old's tactical blueprint reliant on tough-tackling players able to win the ball back quickly and distribute it accurately.

These are both attributes that Clayton does possess, and with the only other midfield alternative being Adlene Guedioura - a player who also brought back into the first-team fray by Pulis - Boro aren't blessed with too many options in that department.

Based on the last few weeks, Clayton clearly does have some role to play at Boro between now and May, and he remains just an injury or a suspension away from breaking into the XI.

But is a bit-part role enough for a player of Clayton's pedigree?

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Can Boro sign a replacement before January 31?

Pulis has already confirmed that he won't spend a penny on transfers this month out of respect to the £40m+ chairman Steve Gibson parted with in the summer on new signings.

With that in mind, the loan market will be Boro's only avenue over the next eight days - and perhaps the key to the Clayton conundrum will be whether Pulis manages to find a suitable replacement to fill that gap in the short-term.

But given Clayton's quality and experience, a promotion winner who would walk into most sides in the Championship top six, finding a player with the same skill-set and ability will not be straightforward.

And if you add the further complications of time constraints and fierce competition to the mix, it is a tough task for Boro to find an adequate replacement before next Wednesday evening.

Tony Pulis watches his Boro side take on Fulham (Image: Katie Lunn)

But central midfield seems to be an area Pulis wants to upgrade, whether that will be this month or in the summer.

Boro's reported interest in Liverpool youngster Marko Grujic earlier in the window suggests that Pulis is keen to find a more athletic option, something different to add to the midfield mix, with Boro lacking height and a natural box-to-box type.

Ironically, Clayton used to be that player, a goalscoring midfielder at Huddersfield but who was eventually transformed into a defensive specialist under Aitor Karanka.

Jonny Howson is showing signs of offering that too, one of a handful of players who seem to be thriving under Pulis' wing, so does the Boro boss think he has the right blend in that department to keep the club moving forward until the summer?

That is a huge factor in whether Clayton stays or goes before the deadline.

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Does the player want to leave the club?

As ever in the modern day, the player has a massive say on what happens in the transfer window.

In theory, it can work one of two ways. Either the player refuses to leave despite the club's intentions to cash in, or he itches for a move himself.

In Clayton's case, it's hard to believe that either of those are likely - but what exactly the player has made of a frustrating few months will perhaps hold the key.

If Monk was still in charge, the possibility of Clayton asking to leave the club would be fairly high. He featured in each of Boro's first 14 matches in the Championship before then seemingly disappearing overnight.

Middlesbrough Adam Clayton (Image: Birmingham Mail)

Yet with a new manager comes new opportunity, something that the likes of Ryan Shotton, George Friend and Adama Traore can certainly vouch for under Pulis.

Clayton may find himself outside of the XI now, but could his opportunity to impress Pulis be just around the corner?

That may well be answered on Saturday afternoon when Boro host Brighton in the FA Cup. If the 29-year-old is not in the XI this weekend, then his first-team prospects would seem slim.

But from the player's perspective, at least he is back in the Boro fold, part of the squad for each of the last three games - and that will surely come as a big relief.

The form of Howson and Grant Leadbitter is keeping him out of the line-up at present, and for a player, being out of the team due to your teammates playing well is easier to accept than not getting a chance in a side that is losing every week.

On the contrary, with Forest on the lookout for midfielders, there is thought to be a confidence in the Midlands that a possible deal could be secured.

Adam Clayton (Image: CameraSport)

As yet, Pulis has revealed there have been no formal approaches for his players - Forshaw aside - but the Boro boss did reveal after Saturday's win at QPR that he would be willing to offload a couple of fringe stars if the club's "valuations" are met.

Given Forshaw departed for £4.5m last week, a healthy profit on the sum Boro paid to sign the player from Wigan in 2015, what price would Clayton command in the current market?

He is a player who has featured far more prominently than Forshaw over the last few years and has been a virtual ever-present in the Boro XI since his arrival in the summer of 2014.

In 2015/16, he was dubbed the 'best midfielder in the Championship' by then-boss Karanka, and despite his recent exile, few can say his early-season performances warranted the sudden demotion under Monk.

Are Forest in a position to entice Boro with an offer in advance of £4.5m? Unless that's the case, it appears increasingly likely that Clayton will remain at the Riverside for the long-term.

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Could any other club meet Boro's valuation?

It's not just Forest who are believed to have an interest in Clayton - but the same question remains. Will any of them offer a cash bid that meets Boro's valuation?

Sheffield United were one of the first sides linked with the midfielder, but that was claimed to be a loan move - something that remains unlikely.

Meanwhile Aston Villa boss Steve Bruce - another admirer - has already spoken on several occasions of the club's need to utilise the loan market this month due to Financial Fair Play restrictions.

Middlesbrough's Adam Clayton (Image: CameraSport)

Leeds United - who have just signed Forshaw - were also linked with their former player earlier in the window, but that now looks a non-starter after Thomas Christiansen admitted central midfield was not a priority position to strengthen this month.

Instead, circumstances encouraged the Elland Road outfit to swoop for Forshaw - but it is thought that they will now turn their attentions to other areas before the deadline.

Boro will be unwilling to allow Clayton to leave on the cheap, if at all, and the number of sides in a position to offer a large cash sum - and be an attractive proposition for the player at the same time - appear to be few and far between.

But as teams become increasingly desperate to strengthen as the days left to do business dwindle, history has shown us that anything can happen.